Lynette Long

MONDAY NOV. 17, TUNE IN FOR A NEW EDITION OF SINS OF OMISSION

Join me, Dr. Lynette Long for my weekly call-in show, SINS OF OMISSION. After last weeks show I realized before we can fight sexism we have to recover from the blatant sexism and misogyny we experienced in the 2008 Presidential Primary and Election.  Last week many listeners told tales of intimidation by Obama supporters.  This week I would like to bear witness to those tales and even allow listeners who share their stories to interact with other listeners. It will be the closest thing to "group therapy" on the radio.  It is important for us all to hear this stories in the actual voices of the women who experienced them.  It's not enough to read about them.  Lets make a living, breathing record.  To listen, just go to www.blogtalkradio.com/nqr at 9 PM Monday night, November 17, 2008.  To share your story and become part of the "group" call 347 677-0792.  Once you call, please be patient.  I will get to your call as quickly as possible.  We want to hear from you.  Just so you know, I have a policy of not answering blocked calls. If you don't want to participate please listen and share the show with your friends.  The show is transmitted through your computer speakers not a radio. You can listen while you do your email or blog with other listeners.  Let's record history this week.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Disclaimer:  The contents of the show are for entertainment purposes and are not to be considered psychotherapy.

P.S.  The graphic was designed by Violet Socks.  I think it's fantastic. 

DID YOU SAY MATH?

The other night I attended my first NOW meeting. Being new to the group one of the facilitators asked me what I did.   Trying to avoid a long, complex answer since I wear many hats, I said, "I do a couple of things.  I'm a psychologist."  The response to my holding that typically female profession was something like, "That's great."  Then I said, "I also write Math Books." The response was "Seriously."  Yes, seriously.  I get this response alto.  The incredulous looks on the faces of others when I say I write math books.  Frequently I get a one word response, MATH?  Like how could that be true.  Did I misspeak?  No I didn't.   What I found particularly disturbing is the woman who said seriously works at a feminist think tank and is very active in my state NOW chapter.  Now if she doesn't get it, who would get it?

As an undergraduate I was a biology and chemistry major.  As an Freshman, people would repeatedly ask me what classes I was taking.  I'd start to list them.  "Biology for Majors, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics..." It was here that I was always interrupted.   "Physics?" or "You mean Phys-ed."  Seems like things haven't changed much in the decades since I graduated college.  People still don't expect women to be good at science or math.  How can I blame them when the former president of Harvard University didn't either. 

LYNETTE HOSTS HER OWN RADIO SHOW

Join Dr. Lynette Long for her weekly call-in show, SINS OF OMISSION, where she unapologetically discusses sexism in our society.  Dr. Long will use your examples to highlight both Sins of Commission (blatant sexist attacks) and Sins of Omission (the under-representation of women).   In her direct no-holds-barred style, Dr. Long will offer listeners strategies to combat sexism in their lives and will solicit the help of the listening audience to eradicate sexism in our society.  Get ready to role up your sleeves and do some heavy lifting --- something has got to give.  To listen, just go to www.blogtalkradio.com/nqr at 9 PM Monday nights.  The show will be transmitted through your computer speakers.  The call in number is 347 677-0792.  You can listen while you do your email or blog with other listeners. 

THREE ANSWERS FROM WASILLA

by Lynette Long

Anne Kilkenny, a Wasilla resident, sent out a 2400 word email that went viral. Anne has known Sarah Palin for 16 years and in her letter commented on the Governor Palin’s political positions, legislative accomplishments and strengths and weaknesses as a leader.  Her email opened like this.

A note to all by Anne Kilkenny

Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in common: their gender and their good looks.
You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .

Thanks,
Anne

Since I have personally received numerous copies of Ms. Kilkenny’s email, I decided to call her up and ask her a few questions.  I didn’t want to Ms. Kilkenny about Governor Palin’s pro-life views, her attitudes on creationism, her energy policy, or whether or not she backed the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.”  I figured these issues would be debated ad nauseam by the press.  Instead, I wanted to ask Ms. Kilkenny questions about Sarah Palin’s character.  Governor Palin can learn the name of the President of Uzbekistan, about the political struggles in Kenya or about our unique relationship with each of the countries of NATO.  It’s easy to memorize facts, figures, and past policies.  It’s almost impossible to learn leadership, integrity, likability and compassion.

1. First, I asked Anne Kilkenny why she wrote her 2400 word treatise on Sarah Palin.   “Before the official announcement I got an email from a college friend who said I hear your Governor is going to be the McCain's’s Vice Presidential pick.  What do you know about her?  There were so many requests, so I thought I’d write something comprehensive.  I got feedback that what I had complied was really good information.  So I kept adding to the document.  It kept growing. It fact, it is currently ten pages.”

As a follow-up question I asked Ann Kilkenny’s political orientation.  “I’m a social liberal and a fiscal liberal.  I am pro-choice.  I’m in favor of sex education in schools and gay marriage.  I oppose Governor Palin on all the issues.  She’s a social conservative.” Palin was Mayor of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002 and Kilkenny attended the vast majority of city council meetings opposing Palin on most issues. Kilkenny describes herself as a staunch Democrat and a community organizer who supported John Edwards in the presidential primary. 

In reality, Sarah Palin is a social conservative who opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships.  Palin supports creationism, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.  In fact, her father was a science teacher.  Palin is pro-life and knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation.

2. My second question was, “Would I like Sarah Palin if I met her?”

Ms. Kilkenny answered with a voice full of certainty and admiration. “You would.  Yes, you would.  Everybody loves her.”  Anne Kilkenny’s statement echoed what I already knew.  Governor Palin is the most popular governor in the United States. What makes Sarah Palin so compelling?  “She is always in a smiling.  She always seems like she is in a good mood.  She has poise and class.  She’s a pretty good listener. She remembers everyone’s name and all their connections.  And when you run into to her at the grocery store or on the street, she’s approachable and she’ll ask you about everyone in your family. She’s down home.  She makes people feel they’re talking to a peer rather than a superior.  She’s pleasant.  She’s very, very pleasant.  City council meetings were like a love fest.  Everyone loves Sarah.” 

3. My third question, “Is Sarah Palin a corrupt politician?”  Her answer was clear.  “She’s not corrupt.  She’s honest.  She’s won her elections fairly.  She’s made a few ethical mistakes, but they were honest mistakes.”  Sarah Palin is an honest politician.  How many Washington politicians could get the same endorsement from their opponents?

Obviously I could have asked about intelligence, but in her email, Ms. Kilkenny stated Sarah was very smart, energetic and hard working.  For all the Palin-bashing that the Democrats have done during the past two weeks, Anne Kilkenny told me in our hour long conversation what I already discerned. I would be proud to have Sarah Palin serve as this country’s Vice President. I might not agree with her on everything, but I could work with her.  I would work with her.

Part of my work as a therapist is pre-martial counseling.  When someone comes into my office and asks me if they should marry a certain person, I ask the following three questions:

1.       Would you be proud to introduce this person to your parents?

2.       Do you aspire to be more like this person?

3.       Would you want this person to be the mother or father of your children?

The Republican Party is asking the country to “marry” Sarah Palin.    What would your answer to these three questions be?

PRINCIPLE OVER POLICY

by Lynette Long

People wonder how I could vote Republican when I am a lifelong Democrat and I don’t agree with the Republicans on many key issues.   This election I’m voting on Principle over Policy and Patriotism over Promises. Politicians pander to the electorate to win votes.  Obama is no different.  I don’t care what he says he is going to do for America, as my grandmother used to say, “Talk is Cheap.”  What I care more about is “Who is Barack Obama?” and “What has the Democratic Party become?”  So in a clear effort to explain my position, here are 14 reasons I will not vote for Obama, my party’s nominee.

The Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee has never been a woman. How can I support a party that is primarily composed on women but run by men?

Obama sat for 20 years inside Trinity United Church of Christ which exposes Black Liberation Theology and listened to Rev. Wright his mentor trash America and white Americans.  How can I support a candidate that goes to a church that preaches hatred in any form?

Obama casts himself as a candidate of change but he is an old Chicago-style politician.  He won his first State Senate race by eliminating all other candidates on technicalities and his U.S. Senate race by opening the sealed divorce file of his opponent and forcing his opponent to withdraw.  How can I vote for a candidate who is not who is says he is?

The Democratic Party was silent to the rampant sexism that occurred during the primary process.   How can I support a party that did not acknowledge the rampant sexism in the campaign and consequently ignored me as a woman?

Obama did not stand up for Senator Clinton when Rev. Wright and Father Pflaeger trashed her from the pulpit of Trinity United Church of Christ.  When Ludacris called Hillary an irrelevant bitch, Obama was mute.  How can I support a nominee, without the courage to stand up against blatant racism and sexism?

Nancy Pelosi, in conjunction with other Democratic leaders, paid off superdelegates to get them to vote for Obama.  How can I support a party that pre-selected its nominee?

Obama only lost one out of fourteen caucuses.  Obama lost twenty-one out of thirty-eight primaries.  This discrepancy is due to voter fraud, voter intimidation, busing, and voter suppression in the caucuses.  How can I support an illegal nominee, a nominee who will use any means necessary to win?

Democratic insiders knew about the caucus fraud and voter fraud during the primary process.  How can I support a party that turned a blind eye to the blatant irregularities during the primary process?

Obama is inexperienced.  He has served less than one term in the United States Senate of which he has spent most the time campaigning. How can I support a candidate that does not have the experience to lead this country?

Obama has numerous questionable associations.   There is an old expression, “By his friends, shall ye know him.”  How can I vote for someone I don’t trust?

Obama ignored the will of 18 million voters did not choose Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate.   How can I support a nominee who brushed aside the will of 18 million voters?

The Democratic Party which is composed of 60% women has not put a woman on the Democratic Ticket for 24 years.   How can I support a party that takes the votes of the women of the party for granted? 

Barack Obama had a sham of a roll call at the Democratic National Convention in Denver and strong armed delegates to cast their votes for him.  Clinton Delegates, were shouted down, threatened with their jobs, and replaced.  How can I support a nominee who does not support democracy?

How can I vote for a candidate I don’t trust, whose character is questionable, who I believe obtained the nomination illegally, who ignored the blatant sexism leveled a Senator Clinton and Governor Palin, and is too inexperienced to do the job?   I can’t.

VOTE DEMOCRATIC IN 2008?  NEVER!  RETURN TO THE PARTY IN 2012?  NOT SURE!

TALES FROM THE FRONT

Approximately a year ago thousands of committed volunteers attended “Camp Obama,” a four-day indoctrination program, geared at teaching pre-screened Obama volunteers grass roots organizational strategies.   The training, which specifically focused on the caucus states, taught volunteers to be “ruthless,” “take risks,” and win at all costs. Obama’s campaign and Camp Obama’s strategy which focused on the vulnerable caucuses and the early primaries worked.  Obama only lost 1 out of 14 caucuses, a staggering achievement, especially when he lost 21 out of 38 primaries and scored a statistical tie in popular vote.   How did he accomplish such an astonishing string of victories that would eventually define the Democratic Primary?  At www.caucusanalysis.org, a new website devoted exclusively to the 2008 Democratic caucuses, you can read Tales from the Front, stories told to sites founder, Dr. Lynette Long, by participants in all 14 caucus states.  Here are excerpts from  the website. For complete statements and a mathematical analysis of each state, go to www.caucusanalysis.org.

FROM IOWA

I live in Davenport, Iowa - Precinct 23.  I arrived at our precinct caucus at 6:30.  At 6:50 pm, over 75 people of African American descent came walking in, past the tables and sat in the Obama section.  I knew one of them from my canvassing.  I knew another one who did not live in this precinct!  And aside from the 4 or 5 families that live on Hillandale Road, there are no other black people in this unusually white precinct and one of those black couples were in my Hillary section.  The results were Obama 3, Clinton, 2, Edwards 1!  It was impossible for me to argue since the precinct chair was an Obama supporter from another precinct.  A very large bus was seen in the parking lot afterwards carrying these folks back.

FROM IOWA

You probably have heard about the busloads coming in from over the IL border, but you may not have known about the busloads coming in from the NE border. North Omaha and Omaha itself are two of the three places in NE -- Lincoln being the third -- where there's over 5% African-American population. Obama's campaign offered people things like I-pods and free stuff-- t-shirts, clothes, shoes, and at least two free meals on the Nebraska side.

FROM KANSAS

There were a lot of young people there and a lot of black people.  We do not have that many blacks in this county.  El Dorado is a small town of about 12,000 and it is the largest town in the county.  There are probably only a handful of blacks that live in El Dorado.  I work with the school district and travel to the high school, middle school and elementary schools and believe me, there are very, very, few  black students.

FROM MINNESOTA

There was NO voter registration for the MN caucus... no identification was checked so Obots were going from room to room voting over and over again giggling all the while doing it. 

FROM NEVADA

Throughout this mess of a process, hostility built to a degree I found truly alarming.  Some overenthusiastic BHO supporters formed a gauntlet in the hallway outside the registration area, on the way to the ballroom, within the zone in which campaigning was prohibited.  Any HRC supporter was subject to verbal abuse, ridicule and, eventually, physical assault.

FROM NEBRASKA

Nebraska was totally chaotic and each precinct location had a different way to do the caucus. In Nebraska, 18 precincts where crammed into one high school in Sarpy county. When I got there, it felt like I stepped into a Third World voting situation. They were trying to determine whether people could actually participate in the caucuses or not, and then it seemed like they just gave up on that and just let anyone participate. There was a gym at the high school where about 5 precincts met. A person was supposed to fill out their preference on a slip of paper and then turn it in. They tried to run it like a primary instead of a true caucus, just take out any semblance of order and guards against voter disenfranchisement that a normal primary would have. I found a pile of these preferences slips just sitting on a table where anyone could pick them up and fill them out.

FROM TEXAS

I was at the Texas Caucus and the Obama supporter’s took the Packets as early as 6:30 AM which they were told not to do, They never let go and then when time came to vote they took over the precinct by some of them pushing the people that were supposed to run it across the room to chairs. They called in incorrect totals for Obama instead of correct ones. He actually had 4 delegates and they called in 19 delegates.

When my 88 year old Mother showed up, who can hardly walk on her walker, and they took her walker away from her when she said she was there to vote for Hillary. They said you are in the wrong place old woman; this is an Obama precinct, and you need to go across town. When I saw what was happening I called the police.  Blog post no quarter evelyn

FROM TEXAS

As an eye witness at the Precinct and Senate District Conventions, this is how Obama won many caucuses. First of all, vast numbers of Obama supporters were bused in to the conventions. They were loud and intimidating. Texas Democratic rules state that each person who participates in the Precinct Convention should have voted in this precinct and sign-in personally on a formal sign-in sheet. So many Obama people showed up, that there were not enough sign-in sheets available, so when the conventions ended, there were many sign-in sheets for Obama filled out in the same handwriting, not signed-in as specified. As Hillary supporters, we obtained copies of these sign-in sheets from all over south Texas, Harris County in particular. We laboriously compared the names on the sheets to see if the person who attended the precinct convention had voted in the primary election. Many listed Obama people had not. We then cross-checked the names of the Obama people to see if they lived in the correct precinct. Many times the Obama people did not come to the correct precinct and often appeared on sign-in sheets, as being present in several precinct conventions at the same time (a violation of the space-time continuum).

FROM THE TEXAS CONVENTION

I walked into the Nueses,Texas County Convention only to discover that I was already there as an Obama delegate.

FROM THE TEXAS CONVENTION

They shoved Obama signs in Clinton delegates' faces, three inches from the nose, called them racists, and told my friend that she had to move from her third-row seat in one meeting and go sit in the back.  She also said that the proceedings were heavily laced with black power speeches by preachers as well as public officials.

FROM WASHINGTON STATE

What I saw was at least 3 trained group agitators -- Since my MA is in group dynamics and group facilitation I recognized when someone is using techniques that I have been trained in. If such individuals were planted in ALL precincts, along with bringing in ringers -- then ALL caucus results are bogus. For this sort of intensive origination to take place in a rural area -- this means that a vast amount of money was spent to manipulate the results of the caucus. The Obama supporters kept changing the number of delegates -- subtracting Clinton delegates and increasing Obama delegates, each time they claimed someone had changed and they had to do "complicated" math and that's why Clinton kept losing delegates. There were NO Clinton supporters checking the Obama "math".

Read full accounts at www.caucusanalysis.org.

Contact DrLynetteLong@aol.com

ARKANSAS KILLING- KILLER KILLED BY POLICE

A man barged into the Arkansas Democratic National Headquarters last Wednesday and killed state party chairman Bill Gwatney.  The police shot and killed the suspect after a thirty mile chase.  The former state senator had been playing to travel to Denver as a Hillary Superdelegate.  A friend of the Clinton's and head of the Arkansas coilation, I can not believe this murder is a random act of violence.  The killer  drove thirty miles to Gwatney's office, shot him several times and then left. 

I remember when JFK was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald.  Jack Ruby killed Less Harvey Oswald ending the chain of evidence that would determine who was behind the Kennedy assasination.  Who is behind the Gwatney murder? Will will ever find out?  Why is no one interested in this story?  A man died, a man with tremendous symbolic importance to the Clinton Campaingn.  Superdelegates, are you listening?  Was this a message to you? 

My heart goes out to Mr. Gwatney's family.  My thoughts and my prayers are with you.

PAID TO REGISTER!

Yesterday Paula Abeles and I and couple of other people were walking past the corner of Conneticut and Q NW and a group of 40 DNC trainers and volunteers were role-playing registering  people to vote.   As loyal Hillary supporters we tried to educate them about Barack Obama.  The vast majority of them were uninformed, but a few were intellectually combative.  We continued to watched the training and noticed one of the trainers teaching the volunteers to offer money for voters to register.  One of the women with us shouted, "You're offering money.  That's illegal."  The trainer quickly responded, "You misunderstood."  An argument ensued.  Another trainer came up to me and yelled, "We're going to call the police."  "We're going to have you arrested."  I looked at her in amazement.  "For what, standing on public property."  She yelled back, "For harrassment."  Interesting since I hadn't said anything.  I should have dialed the police on my cell phone.  Anyway, I contacted Channel 7 and they came out and did a story today. Here it is, hot off the press.

ARE SUPERDELEGATES FOR SALE?

by Lynette Long

In a few weeks the historic 2008 Democratic Party Presidential Primary between an African American Man and a White Woman will end. The two candidates competed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. At the end of these contests, neither candidate had earned enough pledged delegates to garner the necessary 2118 needed to win the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Hillary Clinton earned 1640 pledged delegates while Barack Obama earned 1763 pledged delegates. A paltry 123 pledged separated the two candidates at the end of the primary season. Since there was no clear winner, the superdelegates would determine the Democratic nominee.

Approximately 800 superdelegates will make up around 20% of the 4000 delegates at the convention. These superdelegates are Democratic Party leaders, Democratic governors, and Democratic members of congress. They have the right to endorse either candidate without reason and can change their endorsement from one candidate to another at any time. The superdelegates are very powerful and highly sought after by candidates. One superdelegate is equal to one pledged delegate or 11,361 voters in California or 7,220 voters in New York. Many factors influence which candidate a superdelegate endorses but they usually vote the way their constituents vote. Some superdelegates have intense personal relationships with particular candidates that may influence their endorsement. Members of congress may also be influenced by money given or promised by party leaders, the DNC or the candidates themselves.

Politicians collect money for their campaigns but most American’s don’t realize that politicians collect a separate a pot of money called a Leadership Political Action Committee or PAC. These PACs are used to hire additional staff and pay for additional perks such as limos and first class flights. But one of the major reasons for these PAC’s is to donate to the campaigns of other candidates. Nancy Pelosi’s PAC is called PAC to the Future, Barack Obama’s PAC is called Hope Fund, and Hillary Clinton’s PAC is called Hillpac. Money was distributed by these PAC’s to the superdelegates to influence their voting. The Federal Elections Commission requires scrupulous reporting of how PAC money is obtained and how it is spent. This data can be retrieved at www.opensecrets.org.

In 2007, Obama distributed 299,000 from his PAC to superdelegates. He especially targeted the states of Iowa and New Hampshire. On July 25, 2007, the Hope Fund made $1000 donations to each of the following groups: Hillsborough County Democrats, Hudson, NH; Martha Fuller Clark for State Senate, Portsmouth, NH; Merrimack County Democrats, Chichester, NH; New Hampshire for John Lynch, Manchester, NH; Sgambati 4 NH Senate, Tilton, NH; Stafford County Democratic Committee, Durham, NH and Sullivan County Democrats, Claremont, NH. Obama also gave $5000 contributions to New Hampshire Democratic Party, Concord, New Hampshire, on July 26,2007; New Hampshire for John Lynch on July 25, 2007, and New Hampshire Democratic State Committee, Concord, New Hampshire on November 3, 2006. Obama did not announce his candidacy until May 2, 2007.

Obama also gave New Hampshire Democratic State Senator Jacalyn Cilley $1000 on July 25, 2007. She endorsed Obama on July 31, 2007, just six days after his contribution to her campaign. On July 26, 2007, first term New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes of New Hampshire endorsed Obama. The New Hampshire Primary was not until January 8, 2008 and Hillary won New Hampshire.

By March 28, 2008, Hope Fund donated $710,900 to superdelegates, more than three times as much as Hillpac. ($236,100). A study by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that presidential candidates who gave more money to a superdelegate received their endorsement 82% of the time. This is especially disturbing when the superdelegates endorse a candidate that is decidedly contrary to the will of the voters in their state and their districts.

After reviewing state and congressional voting records as well as PAC donations, members of congress were identified that fulfilled the following four criteria: 1. These members endorsed Barack Obama. 2. The constituents of their state preferred Hillary Clinton. 3. The constituents of their district preferred Hillary Clinton. 4. They got more PAC money from Hope Fund than from HillPac. These senators are Jeff Bingaman, Frank Lautenberg, and Jay Rockefeller. The members of the house are Jason Altmire, Dennis Cardoza, Jim Costa, Joe Donelly, Gabrielle Giffords, Baron Hill, Ron Klein, Patrick Murphy, Gerald Mc Nerney, Carol She-Porter, Zack Space, Niki Tsongas, and Charlie Wilson.

Charlie Wilson is the perfect example. He ran in Ohio’s District 6 in 2006. His seat was the seat of the former governor and is located in Southern Ohio. Wilson was a last minute candidate for his seat and because of this was a write-in candidate. The governor and the party worked hard to get Wilson elected.  President Clinton made an audio recording endorsing Wilson that went out to 50,000 homes.  The governor of Ohio is a big Clinton supporter, the voters of Ohio voted 54-44% percent in favor of Clinton, and District 6, Wilson’s District, voted for Clinton 70% - 27%. Yet Wilson endorsed Obama. It looks like there is no loyalty in politics to either your constituents or your friends. Wilson got $7,000 of PAC money from Barack Obama, but no money from Hillary Clinton. Was this a factor in his choice?

THE TITLE BOUT

by Lynette Long

Don Fowler, the former head of the DNC sent a letter to Democratic leaders and major contributors this week urging party unity. Intended to get resistant Hillary supporters on board, the unity letter is likely to produce the opposite effect. The letter repeatedly stated, “Barack Obama won. It’s over!” In other words, “Get over it,” or as an astute Clinton supporter put it, “Get in line, it’s not your time.” Mr. Fowler chided Hillary supporters, “I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with the people who continue to carp, complain and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support.” The paternalistic nature of this statement and the implication that the issues raised by Hillary supporters are trivial is troubling. “It’s time to act in a mature fashion,” Fowler implored. Demographics will prove that if Hillary supporters are anything, they are mature. Maybe there is wisdom in old age since they did not select Obama.

To illustrate that Clinton supporters are sore losers, Fowler compared the Democratic Primary to men’s basketball and men’s tennis. Attempting to appeal to the broadest base of Hillary’s supporters, women, by comparing the primary to men’s sports illustrates a continuing insensitivity to women and women’s issues by the DNC. In fact the DNC, the party of the people, has never had a female chair.

If sports were the metaphor of choice, the Democratic Primary is more like boxing than tennis or basketball. One could equate the primary to the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. The two fighters in the ring, Senator’s Clinton and Obama, went the distance, 15 rounds, or in this case 52 primaries, but neither candidate scored a knockout blow. The fight will be decided by decision. The judges in this fight are the superdelegates and they will announce their decision at the Democratic Convention. There is one caveat however. These superdelegates are not impartial and both a carrot and a stick have been used to get them to declare for Obama. Many superdelegates have had large sums of money donated to their campaigns by Barack Obama under the guise of the Hope Fund or the Hope Pac. Others have received warnings that the DNC will not support their next campaign if they do not support Obama and still others have had death threats from the African American community.

The referee in this title bout, the person entrusted by the people to ensure a fair fight is Howard Dean, Chairman of the DNC. Dean stood silently by as Dodd, Kennedy and Kerry called for Clinton to throw in the towel early in the contest. He was mute when the main stream media called Hillary a bitch or said she should be taken out behind the barn. Dean did not enforce with the full authority of his office voting regulations to ensure a fair shot at the title for both candidates. Dean turned his back on the fight while Obama threw numerous sucker punches in the early rounds of the bout. Obama won 93% (13 out of 14) of the caucuses and only 46% (18 out of 39) of the primaries. It is impossible to explain the disparity in primary vs. caucus results due to superior organization or demographics alone. Dean and the DNC turned a blind eye to the fraud, busing and data manipulation by Camp Obama at the caucuses. Not only did Dean not investigate voter fraud, suppression and intimidation, he further engineered Obama’s nomination by giving the Florida delegates, a state where Clinton had a commanding lead, half a vote each. In Michigan Dean orchestrated the decision that gave Obama delegates for punches Clinton landed and gave Obama credit for votes logged as undecided. When Clinton Camp tried to raise some of these concerns they were labeled whiners.

The bout is not over until the judges officially announce their scoring of the fight in Denver in August. The DNC wants to deny Hillary’s name being put in nomination and to prohibit a state roll call that reflected the results of the primary. The DNC wants the judges, in this case the state delegations and the superdelegates, to declare that all votes went to Obama. But there was no knock out blow. In face based on the results in the swing states, the primary states, the blue states, the largest states, and by winning the popular vote, Hillary Clinton won the fight by decision. The referee can hold Senator Obama’s arm up in the center of the ring, but everyone watching the primary knows who won. If a football game is decided by an unfair penalty, a soccer game lost by an undeserved red card, a title match lost by a sucker punch, fans typically become embittered and resentful. Senator Clinton was the first significant female candidate to run for the presidency and her nomination was stolen by a corrupt party. No letter chiding Clinton’s supporters is going to change that. Red Sox fans will never become Yankee fans, and Clinton supporters are not coming home.

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